Hinged cover deep fat fryer, griddle and barbeque

ABSTRACT

A portable gas stove supporting for separate use a deep fat fryer, griddle and barbeque with a uniquely designed cover which serves as a griddle when in a closed position, a deep fat fryer in a reversed or inverted position and a barbeque heat reflector and windshield when opened to a vertically extending position. The stove has an open top within which a gas burner is provided. The open top of the stove supports the cover in a closed position where the flat top surface of the cover acts as a griddle. Hinge means enable the cover to be opened to a vertical position acting as a heat reflector and windshield. When the cover is reversed its open box like structure enables it to receive grease to act as a deep fat fryer. Hinged means are provided enabling the cover to rest upon the open top housing of the stove and be quickly hinged to a vertically extending in open position for use as a barbeque and to further enable the cover to be removed and reversed to act as a deep fat fryer.

United States li tent 1 1 Schantz Feb. 5, 1974 HINGED COVER DEEP FATFRYER,

GRIDDLE AND BARBEQUE John S. Schantz, Marine, Ill.

[73] Assignees: Raymond G. Schantz; Socrates .l.

Schantz, both of Marine, 111. part interest to each 22 Filed: Nov. 30,1972 211 App1.No-.:310,774

[75] Inventor:

[52] U.S. C1. 126/41 R, 126/25 R [51] Int. Cl A47j 37/00, F240 3/04 [58]Field of Search 126/41, 25, 9

[56] I References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,489,132 1/1970 West126/25 R 3,244,163 4/1966 McGlaughlin 126/25 R 3,027,887 4/1962 Krohncke126/25 R 3,289,801 12/1966 Jerkins 126/41 R 2,817,331 12/1957 Kaplan eta1 126/41 R 3,388,421 6/1968 Koziol 126/25 R Primary ExaminerEdward G.Favors Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Glenn K. Robbins 5 7] ABSTRACT Aportable gas stove supporting for separate use a deep fat fryer, griddleand barbeque with a uniquely designed cover which serves as a griddlewhen in a closed position, a deep fat fryer in a reversed or invertedposition and a barbeque heat reflector and windshield when opened to avertically extending position. The stove has an open top within which agas burner is provided. The open top of the stove supports the cover ina closed position where the flat top surface of the cover acts as agriddle. Hinge means enable the cover to be opened to a verticalposition acting as a heat reflector and windshield. When the cover isreversed its open box like structure enables it to receive grease to actas a deep fat fryer. Hinged means are provided enabling the cover torest upon the open top housing of the stove and be quickly hinged to avertically extending in open position for use as a barbeque and tofurther enable the cover to be removed and reversed to act as a deep fatfryer.

14 Claims, 17 Drawing Figures PATENTEU FEB 14 sncH 1 0F 3 PATENTEU FEB5l974 SHEET 3 0F 3 HINGED COVER DEEP FAT FRYER, GRIDDLE AND BARBEQUERELATED INVENTIONS SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONS In the past various typesof portable stoves have been employed as barbeque and other type ofcooking arrangements. Such stoves would generally not lend themself toportable use for combined operations in deep fat frying, griddle orgrill frying and barbequeing. The instant stove is portable through theprovision of wheels such that it can be wheeled about and providescomplete adaptebility for the combined use of the deep fat fryer,griddle and barbeque.

By means of this invention there has been provided a portable stovewhich can be used in family gatherings, civic gatherings and the like toprepare outdoor meals by means of deep fat frying, frying on a griddle,or barbequeing for relatively large numbers of people without the useofextensive commercial equipment. The portable stove is wheeled and isprovided with a central gas burner in an open portion of the stove whichhas an open top to receive the fryer, the griddle or barbeque grill orgrate means. The gas burner can conveniently connected to conventionalcylinders of bottle gas or natural gas. 1

The open portion of the stove receives a specially designed cover whichis of a somewhat box-like construction. The top of the cover is flatwith the cover being open at the bottom. The flat surface when the coveris in a closed position on top of the housing serves as a griddle orgrill. Mounted at the rear hinge means enable the cover to be raised toa vertical position in which position the cover is supported by aplate-like hinge member which extends from the rear of the housing andacts as support and stop for the cover with the box-like opening acts toreflect heat and the cover also serves as a windshield when barbequeingis performed in the stove on specially provided grill or grate means.

When deep fat frying is desired to be employed the cover is turnedup-side down with the open portion facing up and the cover is supportedupon specially designed posts formed at the sides of the housing withthe top of the posts acting as a ledge to support the deep fat fryerabove the burner.

The stove is further provided with a shelf at the side serving tosupport utensils, grills or grates and the like. Underneath the shelfrack support means are provided for receiving barbeque racks or grateswhen not in use. The shelf is spaced from the side of the housing suchthat a deep fat basket can be supported by attaching the handle throughthe spacing to a hook support to provide a compact means for storage ofbaskets with their being stored out of way and yet ready for use whendesired with easy access thereto. The portable stove of this inventionwith the fryer, griddle and barbeque combination is very simply adaptedfor interchangeable use. It is rugged in construction and simple inoperation with the cover through the hinging means being ready for usein each of the griddle, barbequeing and deepfat frying operations.

The above features are objects of this invention and further objectswill appear in the detailed description which follows and will beotherwise apparent to those skilled in the art.

For the purpose of illustration of this invention there is shown in theaccompanying drawings a preferred embodiment thereof. It is to beunderstood that these drawings are for the purpose of example only andthat the invention is not limited thereto. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the grill with the cover;

FIG. 2 is a view in front elevation of the grill showing grillssupported bolow a side table;

FIG. 3 is a view in elevation taken from the right side of the grillshowing the upper portion taken on line 33 on FIG. 2 with the griddleremoved and the handle ends of wire basket shown on hooks;

FIG. 4 is in fragmentary view in elevation of the upper portion of thegrill taken from the left side;

FIG. 5 is a view in rear elevation with the griddles removed and thebasket shown hung on the hooks;

FIG. 6 is a view vertical section taken aproxemately on line 66 of FIG.1;

FIG. 7 is a view in vertical section taken on the line 7--7 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 8 is a top plan view showing the cover removed with the large grillor rack shown in broken lines;

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary view in front elevation of the upper portion ofthe cover in inverted position;

FIG. 10 is an enlarged fragmentary view in vertical section showing thesupport for the inverted cover;

FIG. 11 is a top plan'view with the inverted cover in place for use inthe deep fat frying;

FIG. 12 is a fragmentary view in side elevation taken from the rightside showing the cover raised;

FIG. 13 is a fragmentary view in enlarged verical section through thehinge in the cover raised position;

FIG. 14 is an enlarged fragmentary view in section showing the coverdown in closed position;

FIG. 15 is a fragmentary view in front elevation showing the coverraised similarly to FIG. 12;

FIG. 16 is a plan view ofa large grill or rack used with the device;

FIG. 17 is a plan view of a narrow grill or rack used with the device.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The portable stove of this invention isgenerally identified by the reference numeral 20 as best shown in FIG.1, 2 and 5. It is comprised of the housing 22 having a hinged cover 24and is supported by a post 26 upon a wheeled stand 28. The burner 30receives fuel from a gas tank 32 supported from the stand.

The housing 22 is of generally rectangular configuration having an opentop defined by front and rear walls 34 and 36 and side walls 38 and 40as best shown in the top plan view in FIG. 8. The burner 30 is supportedat the bottom of the housing and is provided with a protective shield 42shown in dark lines in FIG. 8 to prevent grease drippings from fallingupon the burner. The interior surfaces of the side walls 38 and 40 andthe rear wall 36 are provided with vertically extending posts 44 asshown in FIG. 8 and 10 which extend from the bottom of the housing tojust below the top edges of the side and rear walls. These posts have aledge surface 46 at the top which serves to support the cover when it isinverted in use to serve as a deep fat fryer as will be furtherexplained hereinbelow.

The cover 24 is best shown in the top plan view of FIG. 1, the frontelevation of FIG. 2, the rear elevation view of FIG. 5 and the sectionalview of FIGS. 6 and 7. It is formed of a generally inverted box-likestructure having vertically extending front and rear walls 46 and 48 andside walls 50 and 52. The front and side walls flare as best shown inFIG. 2 in order that the periphery of the walls of the bottom rest uponthe flat surfaces formed at the top walls of the housing. A handle 54 isformed at the front of the cover.

Hinge means generally identified by the reference numeral 56 in FIGS. 12to 14 are provided connecting the bottom rear wall of the cover to thetop rear wall of the housing. This hinge means is comprised of a bracketsupport 58 and 60 formed at the top edge of the rear wall of thehousing. The racket has an offset cylindrical bearing surface 62 formingthe front edge of a slot 64 formed within a horizontal rest support 66which serves as a stop for the hinging movement of the cover. The bottomportion of the rear wall of the cover has an arcuate spur-like member 68which conforms with the cylindrical bearing surface 62 such that themember fits through the slot 64 and bears upon the bottom hinge bearingmember 62. The cover is shown in the closed position in FIG. 14 and inthe fully open position in FIG. 13 where the rear wall 48 of the coverrests against the support 66. In the closed position the rear wall 48rests upon the rear wall 36 of the housing as well as the bearingsurface 62.

In the closed position the cover as best shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 5serves as a griddle. The griddle is formed by the flat top surface 70 ofthe cover which is bounded by a rearwardly sloping gutter 72 formed atthe periphery having a deep rear gutter or trough by means of whichgrease can be drained through a spout 74 at the rear of the cover.

The cover in the open position as shown in FIG. 12 serves not only as anout of the way storrage place but also as a heat reflector andwindshield when the stove is used as a barbeque. In the barbequeoperation the open stove housing receives a conventional grill or grate75 as shown in FIG. 16. This grill as shown in the dotted lines in FIG.8 rests upon the ledge surface 46 of the supports 44 formed in thehousing. In the barbequeing operation a warmer grill 76 may also beemployed for warming buns or keeping other food warm. The warmer grill76 is supported by a depressed portion 78 formed in both side walls atthe rear portion thereof as best shown in FIG. 3 and 12.

For the deep fat frying operation the cover 24 is adapted to be invertedfrom the closed position shown in FIG. 2 and placed in the invertedposition inside the housing. In the inverted position stud portions 80formed at the sides of the rectangular portion of the cover as bestshown in FIGS. 1 and rest upon the ledge surfaces 46 of the verticalposts 44. The cover in the inverted position of th deep fat fryingoperation is then supported with the griddle surface 70 serving as thebottom of the deep fat fryer.

The stove is further provided with adaptability of receiving arotisserie. This is effected through a depression or u-shaped slot 82formed in the top middle portion of the side walls of the housing asshown in FIG.

3. This slot receives a rotisserie for use in the barbequeing operation.

The stove is designed for convenience in use through a side shelf 84 asbest shown in FIG. 1, 2 and 6. The shelf extends laterally from theright side of the bottom portion of the housing and is connected to thehousing by laterally extending members at front and rear designated 86and 88 which are bolted or otherwise affixed to the bottom of thehousing. A rest member 90 extends from the front to the rear of thebottom part of the supports 86 and 88. An inverted L-shaped support 92is formed underneath the housing and serves as a stop in order that thegrills or racks may be stored upon the rest member 90 with the forwardends of the screen abutting against the stop 92 as shown in FIG. 2. Theshelf 84 is spaced from the right wall of the housing to form a slot 94.This slot as best shown in FIG. 6 receives handles of a deep fat fryerbasket 98 in dotted lines which are suspended upon hooks 100 formed onthe side wall of the housing to facilitate storrage of the baskets andhide them from view. The wire handles can be interfitted through thegrill openings to provide dual storrage of both the deep fat fry basketas well as the grills. The portable stove is supported for easy wheeledmovement upon the stand 28 as shown in FIG. 2. A pair of wheels 102 and104 are connected at the front of the stand while a leveling screw 106is provided at the rear. By this means the stand can be moved from oneplace to another and levelled upon uneven ground through the levellingadjustment. In the moving operation the shelf 84 can be grasped and usedas a handle to provide a dual functional of storing and use as a handle.

USE

The portable stove of this invention is simply adapted for use in anydesirable location by simply wheeling it to the position desired bylifting upon the shelf surface 84 and wheeling it upon the wheels. Whenat the disired position it is connected either to a gas line or the gassupply of the fuel tank 32 is employed to provide gas to the burner 30.The stove can be used at family gatherings, barbeques, fund raisingoutdoor dinners and the like where a substantial number of people are tobe served. The stove lends itself to fish frys by the deep fat fryer,pancake dinners or the like by the use of the griddle and barbequeingthrough the use of the barbeque grill and rotisserizing.

Ready interchangeability of the various pieces of cooking apparatus fordifferent types of cooking operations is readily accomplished throughthe construction of the open top stove and the hinging means for thespecially designed cover enabling it to be hinged from use as a griddlein the cover closed position to use as a barbeque in the cover open orraised position where the cover serves as a heat reflector andwindshield and finally in the third use for use as a deep fat fryerwhere the cover is simply lifted out of the hinge support and invertedto be supported within the housing.

The use of the stove as a griddle is simply portrayed in FIGS. 1 and 7.In this position the cover is closed and the flat top surface 70 is usedas a griddle. Excess grease when formed flows through the gutter 72 intothe deep trough across the back of the griddle and then can be pouredout through the drain spout 74 when frying is done.

For barbequeing use the cover is simply raised from the hinge closedposition shown in FIG. 14 to the open position shown in FIGS. 12 and 13.In this position the cover is opened and raised and serves as a heatreflector and windshield. The barbeque grill 75 is simply placed overthe burners to rest upon the ledges 46 of the vertical support members44. The bun warmer grill 76 may be placed upon the depressed ledges 78where this grill is spaced from the burner a further distance to receiveless heat for warming rather than cooking. The barbequeing position isshown in FIG. 8 where the grill 75 is indicated in dotted lines to restabove the burners. In the barbequeing position a rotisserie may also beemployed by simply resting the rotisserie ends in the slots 82 formed inthe side walls of the housing.

For the deep fat fry operation the cover is simply lifted away from thehinged support member by withdrawing the arcuate member 68 away from'theslot which is accomplished by simply lifting the cover. The cover isthen inverted to place the top surface 70 which normally serves as agriddle surface to the bottom and the studs 80 are rested upon thesupport ledges 46 of the vertical posts 44 in the relationship shown inFIG. 10. The griddle surface 70 then acts to receive the burner flameand transmit heat in the deep fat frying operation. The deep fat fryingposition is best shown in FIG. 11 where a conventional fry basket isshown supported within the inverted cover and as shown in dotted linesmay be rested upon the top rim of the cover when the cover is invertedfor grease drainage. In the inverted position the grease drain opening74 serves to receive a thermometer (not shown) which can be supportedagainst it to sense the temperature of the grease in the fryer. Thegutter like opening 74 also acts as a spout to drain grease by tiltingthe inverted cover to the rear from the position shown in FIG. 11.

When the various cooking operation have been completed the accessoryshelf 84 serves by its substructure to support the grills or racks inthe relationship shown in FIG. 2. The deep fat fry baskets may besupported upon the hooks 100 formed at the side wall of the housing withthe handles being placed between the spacings in the grills.

Various changes and modifications may be made within this invention aswill be readily apparent to those skilled in the art. Such modificationsand changes are within the scope and teaching of this invention asdefined by the claims appended hereto.

What is claimed is:

l. A portable gas grill comprising a housing receiving a burnerpositioned below an open top of the housing, said open top being definedby top rims on vertically extending front rear and side walls of thehousing, at least three of said rims being provided with inwardlyextending support means positioned below top surfaces of the rims, aninvertable cover serving as a deep fat fryer and griddle supportable onthe top of the housing and means further supporting said cover inverticle position on the top of the rear rim, said cover beingdishshaped on one side and having a flat griddle surface on the oppositeside, said cover being supportable in the inverted deep fat fryerposition upon said inwardly extending support means and in the griddleposition on the top of the rims.

2. The gas grill of claim 1 in which a hinge means is provided for thecover comprised of a rigid plate-like hinge support member extendingrearwardly from the top of the rear rim of the housing, said memberbeing provided with an elongated laterally extending slot, a forwardedge of the slot havingan arcuate bearing surface receiving an arcuatespur-like member extending rearwardly from a rear wall of the cover.

3. The gas grill of claim 1 in which said housing is provided with postmeans supporting the cover in inverted position within the open top ofthe housing.

- 4. The gas grill of claim 3 in which said post means serve as asupport for cooperating stud means formed in the outside walls of thecover.

5. The gas grill of claim 2 in which said housing is provided with postmeans supporting the cover in inverted position within the open top ofthe housing and said post means serving as a support for cooperatingstud means formed in the outside walls of the cover.

6. The gas grill of claim 1 in which said walls of the housing haveindentations at rear portions of the top rims receiving a food warminggrill.

7. The gas grill of claim 3 in which said post means receiving abarbeque grill when the cover is removed, said grill being supportedbeneath the top rims of the walls of the housing.

8. The gas grill of claim 7 in which said side walls of the housing haveindentations at rear portions of the top rims receiving a food warminggrill.

9. The gas grill of claim 1 in which said housing is provided with alaterally extending accessory shelf, said shelf being attached to thebottom of the housing and extending to one side thereof and said shelfhas grill support means comprising a shallow U-shaped member supportinga barbeque grill or rack underneath the shelf.

10. The gas grill of claim 9 in which a stop means is connected to thebottom of the housing serving as a stop for the barbeque grill whenbutted thereagainst.

11. The gas grill of claim 1 in which said housing is provided with alaterally extending accessory shelf, said shelf being attached to thebottom of the housing and extending to one side thereof and said shelfhas a slot separating the shelf surface from the housing, said slotreceiving fry basket handles adapted to be hung on support hooksprovided on the side wall of the housing above said slot.

12. The gas grill of claim 9 in which said shelf has a slot separatingthe shelf surface from the housing, said slot receiving fry baskethandles adapted to be hung on support hooks provided on the side wall ofthe housing above said slot.

13. The gas grill of claim 1 in which said housing is provided with alaterally extending accessory shelf, said shelf being attached to thebottom of the housing and extending to one side thereof and said housingis supported on a post extending from a two wheeled stand, said rigidshelf serving as a handle for wheeling the housing and stand to desiredlocations.

14. The gas grill of claim 13 in which said stand is provided withlevelling means.

1. A portable gas grill comprising a housing receiving a burnerpositioned below an open top of the housing, said open top being definedby top rims on vertically extending front rear and side walls of thehousing, at least three of said rims being provided with inwardlyextending support means positioned below top surfaces of the rims, aninvertable cover serving as a deep fat fryer and griddle supportable onthe top of the housing and means further supporting said cover inverticle position on the top of the rear rim, said cover beingdish-shaped on one side and having a flat griddle surface on theopposite side, said cover being supportable in the inverted deep fatfryer position upon said inwardly extending support means and in thegriddle position on the top of the rims.
 2. The gas grill of claim 1 inwhich a hinge means is provided for the cover comprised of a rigidplate-like hinge support member extending rearwardly from the top of therear rim of the housing, said member being provided with an elongatedlaterally extending slot, a forward edge of the slot having an arcuatebearing surface receiving an arcuate spur-like member extendingrearwardly from a rear wall of the cover.
 3. The gas grill of claim 1 inwhich said housing is provided with post means supporting the cover ininverted position within the open top of the housing.
 4. The gas grillof claim 3 in which said post means serve as a support for cooperatingstud means formed in the outside walls of the cover.
 5. The gas grill ofclaim 2 in which said housing is provided with post means supporting thecover in inverted position within the open top of the housing and saidpost means serving as a support for cooperating stud means formed in theoutside walls of the cover.
 6. The gas grill of claim 1 in which saidwalls of the housing have indentations at rear portions of the top rimsreceiving a food warming grill.
 7. The gas grill of claim 3 in whichsaid post means receiving a barbeque grill when the cover is removed,said grill being supported beneath the top rims of the walls of thehousing.
 8. The gas grill of claim 7 in which said side walls of thehousing have indentations at rear portions of the top rims receiving afood warming grill.
 9. The gas grill of claim 1 in which said housing isprovided with a laterally extending accessory shelf, said shelf beingattached to the bottom of the housing and extending to one side thereofand said shelf has grill support means comprising a shallow U-shApedmember supporting a barbeque grill or rack underneath the shelf.
 10. Thegas grill of claim 9 in which a stop means is connected to the bottom ofthe housing serving as a stop for the barbeque grill when buttedthereagainst.
 11. The gas grill of claim 1 in which said housing isprovided with a laterally extending accessory shelf, said shelf beingattached to the bottom of the housing and extending to one side thereofand said shelf has a slot separating the shelf surface from the housing,said slot receiving fry basket handles adapted to be hung on supporthooks provided on the side wall of the housing above said slot.
 12. Thegas grill of claim 9 in which said shelf has a slot separating the shelfsurface from the housing, said slot receiving fry basket handles adaptedto be hung on support hooks provided on the side wall of the housingabove said slot.
 13. The gas grill of claim 1 in which said housing isprovided with a laterally extending accessory shelf, said shelf beingattached to the bottom of the housing and extending to one side thereofand said housing is supported on a post extending from a two wheeledstand, said rigid shelf serving as a handle for wheeling the housing andstand to desired locations.
 14. The gas grill of claim 13 in which saidstand is provided with levelling means.